February 20, 2009

When a big brown box came into the office the other day filled with packages of fresh naan, I figured I would like it. I am, after all, Atkins' worst nightmare. But I didn't realize how much I would like it nor how versatile it could be.

Tandoori Naan, made by Fabulous Flats in Canada, is hand-stretched and baked in a traditional tandoor, or clay oven, that heats to extremely hot temperatures. But beyond scooping up some Indian curry, the back of the package offers serving suggestions - as a dipper for hummus, as wraps, as a stand-in for sandwich bread, or cut into strips for salads. There are also a number of ways to heat it - on the grill, in the oven, on the stove, or charred over a gas flame like a tortilla.

I ate the garlic version plain with a little butter, after using tongs to heat it over my gas stove. But I was truly sold when I made the plain version as an accompaniment to a shrimp salad. I spread some butter on it, sprinkled on some fleur de sel, and popped it in the oven for a few minutes for a truly fabulous flatbread. More please!

The naan comes in regular, whole grain and garlic flavors, and contains no preservatives. It stays good for five days at room temperature, or keep some in the freezer for any carb craving. It comes in packages of two for $2.99 and can be found at Safeway, Whole Foods Market, Raleys and Save Mart Supermarkets.

On October 14, The Sacramento Bee will temporarily remove commenting from sacbee.com. While we design the upgrade, we encourage you to tell us what you like and don't like about commenting on sacbee.com and other websites. We've heard from hundreds of you already and we're listening. Please continue to add your thoughts and questions here.
We also encourage you to write Letters to the Editor on this and other topics.